Dinner with the others went relatively well – save for the occasional glance or huff from Lia. The fawn clearly held a strong dislike for Cassandra. There was no argument about that. However, she had not requested to settle any grievance before eating as per tradition. It seemed she was quite willing to hold on to the mindset that she had.

Cassandra didn't elect to do so either simply due to her lack of patience with the woman. She'd rather carry on with her meal and not have to hear her opinion on everything she said. The less they talked, the better.

Cassandra couldn't shake the truth that prior to collapsing, Lia's attitude was nothing like it was since she recovered. She may have been mad about Cassandra causing that situation to start with, but there was something extra behind it all. Whatever was on Lia's mind – it wasn't something that she would simply talk about.

The fawn was as mysterious as she was when they first met. Cassandra was never one to open her heart up to strangers and she doubted that Lia would do the same. Deciphering her was not in the game plan for the time being. There were more important things to focus on.

While Lia had departed after cleaning up her plate and taking Leta with her, Cassandra had decided to stay and assist Milo while he put away the rest of the dinnerware. It was a chance to show her gratitude for all he's done for her. On top of that, it was the first time in a long while that they could talk.

She also hoped to get some more answers.

Watching him as he collected the utensils, Cassandra approached him, setting the stacked plates she had collected on the large tray. "Milo," she said with her thumbs twiddling in front of her, "thank you for dinner."

A warm smile curved along his face as he seemed almost surprised to have heard that come from her. "Of course, Cassandra. You are certainly welcome."

With a half-smile of her own, Cassandra couldn't take her mind away from the present and the future. Her injuries were nearly healed. It would stand to reason that by tomorrow, she'd be back to walking without a single hiccup. It was pure luck, she thought, remembering how close she and her companion had come to getting killed. "About today…I'm sorry about putting Leta in harm's way. You trusted me to keep her safe and I failed."

Milo was about to pick up one of the forks when he heard her statement, pausing right before his fingers could pluck it from the table. He turned to her, humble – yet direct.

"I trusted you because I could see the drive in you to get tasks accomplished. And you're right; she could have lost her life to one of the dhins."

Cassandra hung her head. It was like being scolded by her mother all over again, even though Milo didn't raise his voice or point his finger at her. She couldn't be mad at anyone other than herself for this one. She earned it. It was all her doing that put them in the forest in the first place.

"But," Milo had something to add, "I heard about how much you fought to protect her. I knew she would be safe with you if a threat arose, but you went above that. Truthfully; I didn't expect a dhin to show up." Milo picked the fork up and dropped it onto the tray, shaking his head at himself in the process. "That was my fault. I thought they weren't that close to Acomb this time of year, but I was wrong. You did the right thing, Cassandra. All that matters now is that everyone is safe and sound."

She suddenly lifted her head, surprised to have been told such a thing. It was a total shock to the woman. To hear the laydown of all her wrongs in front of her seemed almost natural at this point. She instinctively knew to roll with it and go along, expecting that she'd have to endure yet another lecture on how she needed to do better.

To hear about how she was successful and made someone proud took her completely by surprise.

Nonetheless, she could not stop a small curve of her mouth as she reflected on the praise. It was what she needed and that pulled her away from the storm of regret she was losing herself in. In almost an instant; most of the negativity inside her vanished and she felt warm again.

That feels great to know. Thank you, Milo.

"Look..." Her head dropped down again. She focused on her fingers as she held them against her abdomen. Finding the right words to get her point across was difficult and she didn't know which ones to say. All of this was foreign to her and she was still learning how to go about it. "I know I wasn't the best person to any of you when I got here – Lia especially. I really want to return home, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful for everything you've done for me."

The man turned around, pleased at what he had heard. Between his short, grey beard and soft, brown eyes, Milo looked more like a happy father than anything else. He seemed practically delighted.

"I'm glad to see you're starting to come around, Cassandra."

Embracing the moment, she nodded with a burst of slight laughter under her breath. This exchange was a far cry from how she was two days ago when she first arrived in Locwitary. She had gone from being completely antagonistic to friendly enough to have a conversation with. Granted, nothing seemed to have changed between her and Lia so far, and it looked like it would stay that way.

If the fawn continued to provoke her, she'd have no problem arguing back. Until such matters could be settled, she could care less about playing nice with the woman. As long as she could get her home was all that mattered.

They didn't need to be friends to accomplish that.

"I wanted to ask how the process of returning me to my realm is going, by the way?" Cassandra was rather sheepish in her approach, feeling as if she was asking him for a favor that she had not earned.

Milo took a breath, knowing that the burning question was bound to be asked. He gently tugged on the bottom of his brown vest, straightening it out as he elaborated on her question. "I hit an obstacle when it came to narrowing down exactly how we could get you home. I'm wondering if we can turn the windows that Lia can create to view your world into a door to it. Sadly, my research is showing many problems with that approach. Now that we have her back, I'm sure I can learn more but until then…it's theory after theory."

Cassandra closed her eyes and curled her lip, visibly disappointed but making the effort to control how she'd react. After a brief pause, she sighed and relaxed her posture. "Of course. I'm sure none of this is easy."

"I'm sorry," he told her, his voice genuinely regretful. "I know it isn't what you wanted to hear."

"It isn't," she admitted, "but, what can I do? Kicking and screaming aren't going to help. I'm just…worried about my family. My mother. My sisters. They could still be alive and in trouble and I'm here; eating a tasty dinner." Cassandra took a breath and set her eyes down on her pale hands. Rubbing her slender fingers against one another, she could feel the touch of every nerve on her skin, reminding her that she was still alive. "It just feels wrong."

Milo's expression turned toward humility, matching Cassandra's. She was right – it was hard to feel comfortable when in the back of her mind, all she could think about was what her flesh and blood back at home may have been going through. While she did not directly address it often, the sheer level of stress that she had gone through following her arrival here indicated that she desperately wanted to return to them.

Cassandra was a complex woman and her moments of silence were as loud as her shouts.

He set everything that he had in his hands down and faced her. There was a look in his eyes – one that she had not seen before – that made him look more determined than ever. "We're going to get you home, Cassandra. It's not too late. I promise."

A genuine smile broke across her jaw as the sincerity of his words settled in. She could feel how much he meant it all. She had no clue what drove him to try so hard in this insane endeavor, but he was not giving up. What made her worth it all? She didn't know.

He cares so much. It's almost like a father to their…

Her mind returned to Ethan Winters, sending a cold reminder of why the two had encountered each other in the first place.

…daughter.

Milo's finger pointed to Cassandra's chest scar, obscured underneath her black shirt. Out of the blue, he re-addressed the suspected cause of her arrival here. "One of my theories is that dagger had to have remained in your body long enough to channel its residual energy into your system. Are you sure that you do not recall being stabbed with it?"

Cassandra snapped out of her train of thought, visibly caught off guard. "Uhm, I – I don't. I don't remember anything after I was thrown out of my castle."

His eyes shifted around for several seconds before he shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. There couldn't have been another cause. It would take an immense amount of energy to transfer your body here. Maybe Lia can help you remember. Maybe, she can look into some more of your memories and –"

Milo stopped mid-sentence, something else having dawned on him. Cassandra seized the moment to inject her own opinion on the matter.

"How many memories has she looked at? What has she seen?"

Milo continued to shake his head. Cassandra picked up on how instantaneous his reaction was, though she did not elaborate on it further. "I'm not sure. Nothing that helps us figure out how to get you back."

I don't trust that fawn, Milo. Can I trust you?

Cassandra's eyes briefly rolled back to the utensils that Milo had been collecting. "Very well," her voice responded calmly. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why are you so kind to me?" The corner of Cassandra's mouth twitched as her eyes floated around the room. "I would not have shown someone like myself such consideration."

With a nod and a small chuckle to boot, Milo rested his hand on the table. "It wasn't easy, believe me. You were complicated but I expected nothing less from someone who died and wound up in a new realm. It must have been scary."

Cassandra's right hand crossed her body, rubbing her left bicep. "A little…"

"I can give you many reasons why I stayed committed to helping you," he explained. "Some were due to curiosity on my part. Others are related to science. You crossed realms. That's comparable to someone leaving their own planet and visiting the stars."

I wish we saved that old newspaper from all those decades ago. He would have loved it.

"But," Milo added, "I am a firm believer in that we must treat others how we wish to be treated. I've been in terrible places before, especially when I was younger. Others were there for me when I needed them. It is only right that I do my best going forward, especially for those like Leta and Lia. When you came along…it was no different."

There was a lull as Cassandra's eyes fleeted between him and the ground. To have heard such a thing being said to her sent comfort to her soul. As horrible as she was, as vile and venomous, she was not disregarded. In his own way, Milo must have understood pain as she did.

While she did not want to ask, the expression of thought in his eyes and the way he spoke said it all. He wasn't ignorant of what life could do to someone. Whatever he had endured, he could see the anguish in her. He knew that she would not benefit from being cast away.

In that instant, a rush of words rose from her chest and through her throat, spilling out of her mouth like a dragon's slow fire. "I'm sorry for the way I was to you and Lia. There are things about me that are coming to mind and I've never thought about them before. I just…" She stumbled on her words once more.

"It's okay, Cassandra."

Determined to get her thoughts across, she pushed on, forcing them out without a second thought. "I don't like some of the things I've done. I wouldn't have done it again had I been given the chance to change things."

Accepting her apology, Milo removed himself from the table. "I forgave you long ago. I'm happy to hear this."

Breathing slowly, the bobbing of her head steadily picking up speed, Cassandra's cheeks rose and her mouth curled. She was happy too. All the fear of being judged and looked down upon suddenly vanished. There was a softness in his voice to elevate her confidence, inspiring her to try and do better.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "What can I do to help you? Surely, I must be of some use?"

Milo's fingers graced the grey stubbles of his beard. "I'll need to learn more about how your world works. Lia is going to have to handle the transfer, assuming she can soon. I believe something of that magnitude would demand so much from her." There was a mix of casualness and uncertainty in his words. Cassandra trusted that he was intelligent, though she had grown concerned about how difficult this may become.

Another thought birthed in Cassandra's mind following his words. Her eyes widened, eager to get her theory out to him and see what he thought. "If Lia could see into some of my memories, can she send me back through them? Is it possible I could at least change some things?"

There was a brief moment of hesitation on Milo's face. He was also unsure of how realistic something like that could be. "I have an assumption that the realms do not move completely in line with one another, but even if we can figure out how to bridge realms, I can't promise when and where you will end up, nor would I know for sure how that would affect those around you."

Dismay quickly festered on her appearance, which Milo did not remain silent about.

"I know it isn't what you want to hear," he told her. "You arriving here is possibly the single most significant event in Locwitary's history – second to our people losing that dagger so many ages ago. Every theory is now on the table. Everything that we know and believe is being called into question. You must understand, crossing realms is not something we can just figure out on the spot and in the process, a lot has to be learned. But, I promise, I am going to do my best to get you there."

While she believed in his efforts, there was one burning question that had crept into her head that she needed the answer to. "You say that this is such a big thing. 'Everything that we know and believe.' Yet, why is no one else here helping? You're putting all this in the hands of yourself and Lia. Can't others assist?"

Milo took a slow breath, pressing his bottom lip into his mustache. He could only reply with so much, but his response was clear. "You need to trust me, Cassandra."

Cassandra's fist clenched against her hip. The skin on her nose curled as her eyes pressed shut. She knew it wasn't right to get mad at him. He was trying to help her, after all. Still, the emotional toll of all the what-ifs and constant setbacks had worn her will thin. The mere thought of never seeing her family again was powerful enough to shatter her foundation. She wanted to be sure that she was set on the best path to returning home.

Punching the wall wouldn't bring her back to her world, but bottling it in wouldn't make her stay here any better, either. She couldn't keep her thoughts to herself. If it wasn't in anger – they'd have to come out in some other form.

Maintaining the same posture, Cassandra managed to push some of her feelings out of her mouth. Her voice spoke quietly as if she was asking someone else besides Milo. "Why did it have to be me?"

"What?" Milo asked.

"Ugh…" Cassandra released the tension in her fist, only to bring it up to her forehead. She carefully lowered her body down onto a nearby chair, ensuring that she did not stress her injury out any further. "I just…can't catch a break."

Milo could see the difference between the Cassandra he had first met and the one in front of him now. Two days ago, she would have lunged at him in a fury, kicking and throwing anything within her reach. That woman was relentless in her wrath, letting it run free.

While this Cassandra still felt equally as angry – she was trying to control it. She was beginning to talk about her inner turmoil; showing that there were deeper aspects to her emotional state. There was no denying that she had changed to some degree. Maybe, this was a Cassandra who could be reached and reassured.

Maybe, she did not have to drown in her problems. She deserved to know that there was a refuge to be had.

"Hey," his soft voice returned as he took a seat across from her, "you're in a safe place. You're not in this alone. Don't punish yourself for something out of your control."

I should be punished for what I've done. If anyone deserves this – it's me. This man's words…why are they taking some of this pressure away? He doesn't have to stay here with me. What have I done to earn this?

"I…" Cassandra removed her hand from her face and sat with her palms together, eyes pointed down to the floor. "I just want to get back to my family. I want to go home. Why can't I ever get what I want, for once? I know I've done wrong but this…"

"I'm trying, Cassandra. I know this doesn't feel fair to you."

Her eyes returned to being shut, both fists shaking down at her hips. "I know you're trying!" She yelled, catching her outburst at the last second. Her eyes sprung open and her hand covered her parted lips. The only response to follow was to regress into a curled-up ball. Her palms rose, covering her face as she leaned forward.

Way to go, Cass. Scream like the child you are. You're such a failure…

She was so upset at herself for easily losing control. Milo's patience had to be at its limits with her, she figured. Cassandra worried that at some point, he would give up on her. With all the help he was trying to provide; all she did was continue to act out. Any rational person would have gotten up and walked away. It was only fitting for how often she pushed others away, she thought.

There was an audible sigh that came from Milo, enough to deepen Cassandra's idea that he was done with her. She was too afraid to speak, feeling that her anger at herself would bleed into her words. It was better to stay quiet – lock herself out from the world around her. It was less terrifying to be in the dark than it was to hear the fallout of her actions.

Look what you did.

"Cassandra…" Milo's hands rested together against his knees; eyes fixed on the distressed young woman in front of him. "It's okay to be upset. You're no different than anyone else."

After a few seconds, her head lifted. Her amber-infused eyes turned at him momentarily before surveying the room around her. "Are Lia or Leta like this when they get mad or is it just me?"

"What?" Milo's brow raised. He did not expect her to ask anything like that.

Cassandra's teeth pressed on her lower lip before her tongue separated both of them. Her eyes slowly rolled over to him as she began to explain herself. "You said it's okay to be upset, but is it? Does Lia or Leta ever act the way I do?"

There was a nod that followed as soon as he understood what she was asking. Milo couldn't help but breathe a tiny chuckle as he gave her an answer. "I've seen Lia get quite angry before – at both myself and Leta. She's had her moments, but there is so much resting on that woman's shoulders. Sometimes, I feel like I've asked too much of her over the years. She's still young and has her entire life ahead of her." As he was about to say his next words, there was a brief hesitation before he continued. "She had to grow up fast."

"What about Leta?"

"She gets annoyed," Milo said with a laugh, "mostly at herself. I've only rarely seen her get terribly upset. That girl has some restraint for someone her age."

Against the sudden wave of sadness that had washed over her, Cassandra was able to let out a small laugh of her own. "I believe that," she said before her grin subsided and she reverted to her dull mood. "My older sister once told me, 'Cassandra, one day, you're going to have to grow up like the rest of us.' I acted like I didn't care at the time, but it always stuck with me. I just feel like the entire world is against me, sometimes. It's like I want to be a part of everything but I'm not…and I get angry about it. When that happens, I only make it worse for myself."

Cassandra tucked her chin and closed her eyes; the toll of a life of hostility demanding that the price be paid. "Am I that bad?"

To Milo; Cassandra was an entirely different person compared to the woman who had left the castle earlier that day. He could only imagine what had transpired between that time and now. Leta had mentioned that she and Cassandra were able to talk and have fun. He was sure something must have happened to open up this new possibility for the brunette – whatever it was.

The girl deserved so much credit if she was able to influence an otherwise hostile and guarded person such as her. He had hoped that getting to explore the outside would have helped her relax, though he had not expected anything like a dhin attack to occur. He was just as grateful as she was that the hands of death had not clawed her apart. Perhaps – he suspected – a close call with mortality had brought her down from her previous views.

She had died once. To die again would be an unnatural punishment.

As Milo prepared to address Cassandra's remarks about herself, his view of her suddenly changed. She was no longer the aggressive, blood-drenched being who had descended from a different realm. There were no threats or insults that spewed from her mouth. The desire to harm others seemed to have not crossed her mind at all.

She was just like any other person who was upset at themselves and wanted a reminder that someone else cared. She was a young lady; uncertain and afraid. A woman with a family – yet, without one. She was someone who could be helped.

With a smile, he nodded softly. "No. Far from it, actually. I am happy to have you here. Leta is also very eager about your presence."

Cassandra's eyes opened and she lifted her head, turning her neck to him. Her eyes fluttered between him, the doorway, and the floor. "Is that true? All of it?"

"Of course!" Milo gave a warm laugh to help cheer her up. "Look, she has been begging my permission to allow you two to go to the town again. She told me all about the fun games and stories you had for her and I'll be honest: I haven't seen her so happy in a while."

The corners of Cassandra's mouth curled as she couldn't resist the comforting idea that she wasn't an outcast in the eyes of some. She felt like she had something to offer, and Milo's reaction to it all was a reward in return. There was a certain nature to the man that was impossible to ignore.

She likely wasn't the first person he had to have this kind of conversation with, nor was Lia. He knew how to lift someone's spirits. It was natural for him.

"Would it be reasonable to ask you the same thing?" Cassandra inquired, dragging her injured leg back slowly to remove the idea of dhins from the equation.

Nonetheless, his eyes could not find themselves away from the bandaged limb. "If you two can stay out of the woods, I don't see why not. I have the feeling that you have a clear understanding of why."

Biting her lip as she conceded, Cassandra nodded back. "I've had enough nature for today," she laughed.

Milo glanced down at her leg, motioning to it with his finger. "How's that coming along?"

Cassandra pulled her leg forward, rotating it to showcase some of the dried blood along her bandages. "It…doesn't hurt much. I'm just glad to be walking."

"That dhin got you pretty good. You're lucky it didn't tear that leg off. Wouldn't be the first time one of those creatures has done that."

Cassandra took a moment of silence as she considered how much worse today could have gone. Milo's medicine was a true marvel, able to seal and restore wounds that would otherwise be dire. However, none of that could repair missing flesh. If she had lost her leg, there would be no telling what her life would be like when she returned home.

What would she tell her mother and sisters? That she was brought to another world and attacked by a bloodthirsty deer? None of that would add up – although stranger things have taken place in that once quiet village of hers…

She thought about how she would have had to hobble around the castle halls, unable to walk properly on her own when not dispersed into a swarm. Shifting flies to regain a limb would be a daily chore, as each insect had their place to allow her completion. It was a troubling thought to imagine herself in such a state.

That was why the cold was so brutal for them – they could not afford to spare so many lost bugs. For a woman who reveled in her immortality, she found herself in the abyss of many mortal concerns. She had barely survived today's events and was fortunate enough to be granted a second chance and be able to bounce back.

Luck only went so far and she knew that next time may not go as well. When she had first heard about the dhins, the excitement of being able to hunt one amassed quite the thrill. She had forgotten that her powers were gone and that the woman left in the wake of their absence was unprepared to tackle such a ferocious beast.

That mindset could not exist in this body.

She had to remember what her situation was like in this world and the consequences that went along with it. She was not in a position where she could do whatever she wanted and simply walk away unscathed. To approach this world as if she was still in her own would prove to be detrimental time and time again.

"Yeah," Cassandra peered down at her leg one more time, sighing as she withdrew her eyes from the dressed limb. "I didn't know that they were that close. I'm just thankful that Leta and I were able to make it out."

Milo curled his lip as he nodded, swallowing a gulp of the hard-hitting truth as he did. "I still can't believe that those creatures had made it that close to Acomb. Gibbin usually keeps tabs on their movement for the sake of the others but these ones must have slipped by."

The most dangerous things usually do slip by, it would seem…

Milo took a breath before he began twiddling his thumbs – an outlet for the thoughts that he juggled inside his head too. "Look…I don't want you to feel upset, understand?"

Cassandra poked her head up at him, curious as to what he had to say next. To say that her anxiousness had begun to rise was an understatement. There were so many things that could be brought up that would trouble her.

Was it another setback? Would her injuries destabilize? More bad news about home?

Anything and everything was on the table and it was killing her.

"What is it?" She tried to act confident but the worry in her voice was audible enough.

"What happened today turned out as good as it possibly could have – minus your leg getting bitten. I want to say that putting your life on the line to protect Leta is very commendable and I am just as grateful as she is for that. I just want to remind you that our medicine can heal a terrible wound – but it cannot bring back the dead."

His words hit her like a stone – she knew where this was going.

Milo elaborated, "If Leta were to have not made it out of those woods today, I promise, this would not have been a good night for anyone. I know you would have not wanted that either. Think about Lia. Imagine waking up and the first thing you want to see is your little sister, only to be told that she's gone from this life. I cannot even begin to prepare for what I would have to say to her. As someone who –" Milo cut his words off, pausing before heaving a small cough. The man looked like he needed a second to steady himself. "I can promise that losing Leta would have been the worst thing to have ever happened to her."

Part of me can imagine, Milo. I'm afraid that is what I am going to have to come home to. Damn it…look what you could have caused today, Cass…

Cassandra shut her eyes, drawing in a slow breath as she took it all in.

"I also wanted to take the chance to address what happened between you and Lia when you first arrived here…"

Cassandra breathed in again – this time, deeper and sharper. Her eyes remained closed, but she responded with a nod. This conversation would have to come up at some point, she rationed.

Milo inhaled his fair share of air before continuing. He did not want to distort the purpose of this as a way to scold Cassandra or make her feel worse. This was a chance to cement some understanding into the woman. He believed that if she could have changed this much in the last day, then there was a chance for her to truly improve her ways.

"You tried to kill her. You put her life at risk. You didn't know about Leta at the time, but you know Leta now. I don't think you would have wanted her to receive the news that her big sister died. I'll leave it at that. Just think about what your actions can do to others and the opportunities they can cost everyone."

Cassandra brought her hands up to her face, breathing slowly. Her fingers disappeared beneath the rim of her hood. Loose strands of dark hair dangled out from in between them, running along her knuckles as she dipped her head.

Muffled under her palms and spoken under her breath, she was able to express only a piece of how she felt about it all. "…I'm sorry."

The twiddling of Milo's thumbs broke, as he placed both hands against his knees and sat forward, leaning in to help ease Cassandra's troubles. He wasn't sure if reaching out to touch her arm would help her or not, and opted to allow his next words to help keep her afloat in the sea of despair.

"I'm saying all this because I don't think you are the kind of person who would do that – at least not anymore. I think the Cassandra sitting in front of me is the Cassandra we need. The one you need. I believe in you."

It was hard to keep it together after hearing that. Cassandra had never been told something so uplifting before in her life. The encouragement that followed served to remind her that this was a lesson in self-improvement and not a mere lecture. She could feel a set of tears gathering along, emboldened by the truth that he was not trying to cast her out. Saving the dam from breaking, she opted to take a breath and lifted her head.

"Thank you," she said with a smile, eyes glistening from increased moisture.

Not a second later, Lia entered the room, looking concerned as ever. Milo was perplexed by her visit – while Cassandra cautiously glanced at her.

The man calmly rose from his seat, taking a step forward to greet the fawn. "Lia, what brings you here?"

Her eyes shifted back and forth between the two of them – falling mainly on Cassandra. There was a sense of suspicion toward the woman, evidenced by her scrutinizing gaze. "I heard someone yelling. I just wanted to make sure that all was well."

"As everything is," Milo reassured her.

Lia's eyes drifted back down to Cassandra, studying her posture and expression. The brunette saw the passive-aggressive nature of Lia's stare and bluntly raised her brow at the woman, who quickly picked up on the gesture.

"I have a right to be concerned," disdain spat from her mouth, "Cassandra…"

Milo interjected once again, "There is nothing to be concerned about, Lia. Cassandra and I were merely having a conversation. I promise, you do not need to worry."

His soft voice was the same one that he had used to settle Cassandra's depressive mood. It held a similar effect on Lia; as she relaxed enough to lower her shoulders. It did nothing to wipe the scornful expression she held, though. That was there to stay.

"It's getting late," Lia remarked. "I'll see Leta to bed and will return to my own soon after. Is there anything else you need from me today?"

"Nothing else. I'm just happy to see you well. Get some sleep tonight. We'll gather together in the morning and prepare for the day ahead then."

With a nod, Lia gave Cassandra one more glance before stepping away. "Goodnight, Milo."

Once the fawn was gone, Cassandra waited while Milo began to gather the rest of the dining ware on his own. She wanted to put some more time in between Lia's departure and the next question that would be asked; lest the older sister was still within earshot of the room.

"What is her problem?" Cassandra inquired as she rose from the chair.

"Lia?" Milo looked at her for a second before he tilted his head and resumed clearing the table. "I don't know. She is under a lot of stress nowadays with what we are all trying to accomplish. That – and maybe she still holds a grudge about, well…you know…"

With a curl of her lip, Cassandra groaned mildly. Her fingers graced the edge of her brow as she shook her head. "I suppose…"

"Let her be," Milo suggested. "She'll be occupied with what she needs to do. She is the key to getting you home. In the meantime, maybe tomorrow you can help me with my research. No one in Locwitary truly knows what the worlds in other realms are like. I'm hoping you can shed some light on that."

Cassandra shrugged her shoulder in response – partnered with a hint of a smile. "If my little mountain village is anything to learn from, I'll tell you all I know."

Milo remained optimistic at the notion. With a nod of his head and a pull of his bearded cheeks, the man's eyes were as comforting as ever. "A lot can be learned from even the smallest of settlements."

Cassandra stood up from her chair. "And the hunger for knowledge fills a belly that can never be satiated."

A hum passed through his lips. "Wise words. Where did you learn that?"

She rolled her eyes and tilted her head. "Bela told me that once."

"When someone passes knowledge to you, ask one question, but listen twice," he quipped with a phrase of his own.

"You would have loved my sister," Cassandra laughed as she picked up the last remaining plate from the table.

"If she taught you what she knows, then I have already met her," he stated. "You have a lot of potential, Cassandra, and a long life ahead of you. Never stop learning."

"Thank you, Milo," she said. It was a humbling feeling to have been told such things. Cassandra had almost forgotten about her frustrations entirely after hearing the positive words that he had to say about her.

Such emotions were a rare feeling for the woman. It got her thinking about what exactly he meant when he told her to 'never stop learning.' Perhaps it wasn't knowledge of the world around her that he had referred to.

Maybe, it was her learning about herself.

Milo approached her with a plate in each hand, lifting the one in his right and waving it around near her head. "And never stop cleaning up after yourself, either."

Cassandra glanced over at him, a smile on her face, coupled with an amused laugh. "Now, you sound like my sister. I remembered to put my stuff away tonight, didn't I?"

Milo's bearded cheeks grew as he grinned back at her. "I remember you looking back at your fork and plate as you left the table last time, don't think I wasn't watching…"

"You got me," she conceded.

"If I sound like your sister, then that must be an ongoing thing back at home for you," he replied with a spot-on theory of his own. It was one that Cassandra could never deny. She closed her eyes; her lips trying to contain her next laugh.

"Yes…Bela…"

With a small chuckle to precede the end of their conversation, Milo extended his hand to Cassandra, allowing her to set the plate she held on top of his before he assembled them into a final stack. "Have a goodnight, Cassandra."

"You as well."

The night air was still, absent of any wind to carry sound as Cassandra lay in her bed. The window remained open, offering illumination from the planet's single moon to combat the total darkness of her environment.

She was no stranger to the absence of light.

In the dimly lit dungeons of her old castle; the shadows were her best friend. She recalled lying in wait as some of the shackled maidens were able to miraculously 'escape' their confines and seek a way to freedom. She hid in the obscurity of the void they offered, quietly at her victim's back without the slightest hint of her presence to be had.

It was a fun game to be played – watching her prey shudder at the smallest of sounds, weary that they were not alone after all.

"I'm watching you," she'd taunt them while remaining unseen.

So many memories – each with a body to go along with them.

Tonight, she was in the shadows once again, but it was she who felt like the one being watched. Cassandra couldn't shake it off. She would have chalked it up to her keen senses having left her since her arrival in this new world. However, that was far from the truth and she knew it. Even the most precise eye could not see what it was that would have constituted such an uneasy feeling.

That overwhelming sense of dread. She had sampled a taste of what those unfortunate women had to experience during their final hour. It was a scary feeling.

No one was there but someone was there.

Just try to go to sleep, Cass. Stop thinking about it.

She turned onto her shoulder, facing the stone wall to her left. To expect such things to go away by turning one's back to them was a child's fantasy. In all her days, she would never have imagined such an action to be considered by one such as her.

Scared of the dark? Cassandra Dimitrescu? Who was she anymore?

Any sign of wind would have been a relief to her. Hearing the whistling breeze would have occupied her ears – and hopefully her mind. She could likely carry the sounds with her as she melted off to sleep. Slumber was not Cassandra's best friend in her old world, either. She could only find comfort in the idea that some things remained constant – one realm or the other.

Time fell out of focus. The room was darker at some points than others. Her eyes remained heavy the entire time, but she could not recall any of her thoughts. Whatever she was thinking of would become distorted, making no sense as it went along.

Suddenly, a beating sound began to play on the floor below her. Cassandra could feel her heart jumping, fighting to break through her ribcage. There was something in the room – no doubt about it.

The ruckus of the noise would not cease. The more she listened – the more distinct it became. It sounded like something was smacking the floor. Over and over; the impact of whatever it was had grown rapid in sequence over mere seconds. She tried to ignore the rhythm but it was impossible to do so.

That sound…it's not stopping. It just keeps going.

Opening her eyes and rotating her body, Cassandra turned her gaze over to the direction of the commotion's source. She did not know what she would be in for. Her sickle was nowhere in reach in case of a threat. She'd have to handle it with just herself and the uncertainty of her situation was staggering.

The room was nearly pitch black. The edges of the surrounding walls and any furniture present in the room had been erased from view. The only thing that remained visible was the outside world; reduced to a square from the confines of the window. The straight line of moonlight that entered the room offered a view of everything that it touched.

As her head leaned closer over the edge of the bed, Cassandra could make out the shapes of arms and legs fluttering about on the floor. The position of the limbs was unmistakable. The legs locked straight and arms extended along the sides of the body – fists clenched and pointed outward.

She had witnessed this before.

In the glow of the moon's light, a woman's face was seen; Luana's. Her eyelid's pressed shut, mouth agape as she continued to rattle about. Blood seeped from her nostrils, coating her entire mouth as it did on the day Cassandra brutalized her in the kitchen. How did she end up here?

Cassandra watched Luana convulse violently for a couple more seconds until the woman suddenly ceased all movement. As soon as she did – her eyes shot open.

Both pupils instantly locked onto the brunette who lay right above her. There was no blinking to be seen. Only the deadlocked stare that would not subside. Before Cassandra could react, Luana's lips began to part and a sentence escaped her breath.

"I died for a piece of food and you didn't even eat it."

What she had just heard haunted her greatly. Cassandra could feel her fingers tightening against the blanket she had around her body. The fear coursing through her veins was immense and she did not know how to respond anymore. Her jaw quaked, terrified to all hell. Luana's eyes did not move one bit. They stared her down as if they awaited an answer from her.

"I am so sorry, Luana…"

The servant's petrified eyes immediately collapsed back into a shut state. Her mouth sprang open as the kicking and buckling of her body resumed – faster than ever. Cassandra jolted back beside the wall, covering her ears as she tried to shake off the endless barrage of sounds.

I'm sorry! Please stop!

With each passing second, it grew louder and louder, echoing against her skull like a hammer against metal. She couldn't break free from where she was. It felt like she was trapped and this was the torment that she'd have to endure.

Make it stop! Make it stop!

The thuds and slaps became deafening, birthing a silence that would only be broken as she heaved a deep breath and expelled the loudest scream that she could.

Cassandra shot up from her bed, nearly hyperventilating. Her body was sweaty, soddened by the panic that had been activated from within. She quickly scanned around the room; which was not as dark as she remembered. Luana's body was nowhere to be seen. In its place was the stone floor, unscathed and unremarkable.

No sign of blood or death was to be found.

Trying to catch her breath, Cassandra swiped her hand across the top of her head, shoveling her wild and loose hair away from the front of her face. She threw the blanket off of her body, resting her back against the stone wall. Taking another glance around, she confirmed that she was indeed the only person in the room.

It was a dream…a bad dream…

NOTES:

Glad to have you all back! For the most part, this was a way more light-hearted chapter compared to the last one. I wanted to show more interaction between Cassandra and Milo. He's taken notice of the shift in Cassandra's attitude, and he seems very welcoming of the change. We're starting to see Cassandra open up more about what is going on inside, and while she's still a long way away from cracking her shell entirely, progress is progress.

Milo does have a comforting aspect about himself. Yet, he remains guarded in his own ways.

Lia is still not too friendly. For those of you who are disappointed that she only had a limited appearance in this chapter, the next chapter will be sure to make up for it. She and Cassandra are still bound for another conflict. It is in the air and everyone can sense it.

In regards to that final segment, Cassandra's actions are coming back to haunt her.

Luana's death carried great consequences for our brunette, and this nightmare is a sign that Cassandra may not be as in tune with her ferocious past as she used to be. Something inside her is changing – but the past cannot.

On that note: expect the next chapter to be the biggest one so far. There will be a ton of content to be had that I'm sure you will all enjoy. A flashback to Castle Dimitrescu? Yes. Locwitary drama? Yes. That and more are ahead as this story presses on.

That chapter will release on Friday, November 4th. I know it's two weeks away, but that will give more time to perfect everything on the day of release.

Follow this story on Archive of Our Own to check out the newest artwork that I've included. Every chapter gets at least one!

By the time the next chapter comes out, the Shadows of Rose DLC will be out. Let's hope to get some game-time with our favorite bug family. The Resident Evil showcase looked very promising and I honestly can't wait! Hope it was worth it for you as well!

Thanks again for giving this story your time and devotion. I am so happy that there are people who look forward to reading these chapters as they come out and you make me wish I had done this sooner. I'm considering creating more works in the future and it's all because of you! Thank you so much for all the helpful and kind words so far. I'm really glad to be a part of this community and you all make it worth it!

Leave a comment and let me know what you have to say. Drop a kudos if you wish. I'll see you all soon and may the days ahead be good to you. You guys are the best! Stay safe and well!